


Cracked, not broken

by MysteryFicAnon



Series: Undertale Fic Requests [12]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Conflict Resolution, Kedgeup, LV Issues, M/M, Relationship Talks, They are learning how to communicate, Uf Papyrus/Ut Sans - Freeform, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Undertale Sans, it is not easy, no beta we die like men, sans is worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:29:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23180224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysteryFicAnon/pseuds/MysteryFicAnon
Summary: This is for a request the lovely fate sent in ages ago, for dialogue prompt #20: "don't try to fix me. i'm not broken"I hope I did it justice!
Relationships: Papyrus/Sans (Undertale)
Series: Undertale Fic Requests [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1436539
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	Cracked, not broken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [damnedxfate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnedxfate/gifts).



> Hoo boy, it has been a long time since I posted any stories. I'm so sorry y'all, school got really overwhelming and my mental health took an absolute nosedive. I wasn't even writing until my school got closed last Friday. In these trying times I will try to post more stories, but I make no promises.
> 
> Also: I couldn't find a beta reader for this so I tried to check it for grammar myself. If you see any mistakes, please comment so I can fix them! I hope y'all can enjoy this anyways!

Edge was at the end of his rope. He glared down at the sunny pamphlet sitting on their kitchen table, tempted to rip it to shreds. This was the third yoga studio advertisement in as many days, with a small sticker on it proclaiming that it offered special courses for those with anger issues.

He’d been very careful when he and Sans had started dating. Although he never made and pretence to hide his temper or his past, he’d been careful to make sure Sans never saw him during a proper flare-up. He trusted himself not to hurt Sans, but it had taken months for Sans to understand how Edge could rack up so much LV in the first place. He hadn’t wanted to bother through the arduous process of getting Sans to understand his particular coping mechanisms and how they helped.

Apparently, he should have. Three weeks ago, Edge had been unable to resist the building urge for destruction. He’d quickly headed home during his lunch break, thinking that no one else at the embassy would miss him for an extra hour. Somehow, from his hotdog stand across the street, Sans had noticed his urgency.

After walking into their garage and finding Edge turning a training dummy into a pincushion, he’d teleported away. Edge called, gave the thing an extra beating when Sans didn’t answer, then called again. Sans never picked up or responded to his texts, but he showed up for supper, and things seemed to go back to normal.

In traditional Sans fashion, he completely avoided the topic when Edge tried to bring it up. He was just as calm and affectionate as he had been before, but Edge wasn’t stupid. He could feel the underlying current of tension in Sans’ movements.

Then, the first pamphlet had appeared. It seemed relatively innocuous, just one of the many advertisements they received in the mail. A new yoga studio was opening, and they had probably sent fliers out to everyone. Edge had promptly tossed it into the recycling and moved on.

The next day, the pamphlet was miraculously back on their coffee table, along with another one. But things hadn’t stopped there. Anger management videos would be loaded up on electronic devices. He suddenly found several new “mindfulness” playlists full of whistling flutes and grating unpleasant tones on his phone. Not to mention the pamphlets. Any sheet of paper about meditation, reducing stress, or anger management was brought into the house. Multiple fliers for the same thing would pile up, creating the kind of clutter that made Edge’s marrow boil. He had valiantly done his best to ignore all of it, moving the pile of useless paper into a neat stack on the corner of his desk.

This leaflet wasn’t particularly different from the others, but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Edge couldn’t take this any more. At this point, he wasn’t even sure why Sans didn’t move back in with Papyrus. If he was so afraid of Edge that he felt the need to suggest these things, Edge couldn’t understand why he was still here. Surely his sense of self-preservation would have begun to outweigh his desire for Edge if this was really too much for him to handle.

Sans wouldn’t be home until later. That was fine. Edge would wait for him. He finished his paperwork for the day then cooked them both dinner, setting the pamphlet down next to Sans’ plate.

Sans arrived right on time, keys jingling a little as he called out. “I’m ho-ome!”

He didn’t expect a response. Edge knew Sans only did it for him, so that Edge didn’t have to worry about an intruder. Edge could hear him slip off his sneakers at the door, his socked feet shuffling across the floor as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Hey babe, how’s it go-oh.” Sans had seen the pamphlet. Of course he had, the irritating colours were bright enough to be seen from a mile away. Sans reluctantly moved to sit down, squirming a little. That was fine, at least he hadn't left.

Edge folded his hands together in front of him, leaning forwards. He did his best to speak calmly, knowing that getting upset would only weaken his point. “Stop trying to fix me. I’m not broken.”

Sans winced, guiltily averting his eyes. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, speaking carefully. “Edge, I didn’t mean it like that. I know it can be hard to manage these things, I just figured it could help…”

“It doesn’t. I’ve managed it for years before I met you. I don’t need your help with it. I’m well aware that this might not be the most conventional method, but LV won’t be soothed by some fucking meditation. I know what I need and how to do it. You don’t need to be involved at all.” Edge was on a roll now, so he might as well keep going. He took a deep breath, then continued. “If my LV makes you so uncomfortable, maybe we should take a break.”

There it was. All of his grievances, out in the open. It was his turn to look down now, not wanting to see the look on Sans’ face. He didn’t want to try to force Sans into staying with him. If Edge’s LV was really such a deal breaker, Sans wouldn’t be forced to cope with it.

“I’m sorry.” Sans said, his voice horribly soft and gentle. Edge flinched a little at the tone, curling in on himself. He heard the chair across from him move back, and Sans walked around the table to Edge’s side.

“I don’t want to leave.” Sans reached out, taking one of Edge’s hands in both of his as he spoke. The quiet sadness in his voice made Edge feel even worse. “When I saw you that day… I was worried that you weren’t doing okay, or that the LV was getting to be too much. I didn’t know what things were like in your universe, but I figured you didn’t have access to those kinds of resources. I just wanted to help. I’m sorry I was such an idiot. Please, don’t leave me.”

“You aren’t an idiot,” Edge said automatically, shifting back and pulling Sans into his lap. He pulled Sans into an embrace that was probably too tight, but Sans didn't protest.

Sans was blissfully relaxed, all nervous energy gone. He pressed closer to Edge like a monster starved, nuzzling into him. Edge closed his eyes, drinking in the contact. He lost track of time, just savouring the feeling. Eventually Sans shifted a little and Edge let him pull back a bit.

“So, what do you want to do with the pamphlets?” Sans asked, idly petting Edge’s sternum through his shirt.

Edge didn’t even miss a beat. “Burn them.”

Sans laughed, and if there was a bit of a hysterical note to it, then neither of them commented on it. After Edge reheated the food they had dinner by the fire that night. Sans promised to try to actually talk instead of just assuming things, and Edge promised to be a little more open about his issues. Things might be a little rocky at first, but they would figure it out. Edge was determined to make this work. As he held Sans’ hand, Edge could only hope that he could continue being with Sans.

**Author's Note:**

> You have no idea how hard it was to not title this fic "what doesn't kill you", because Kelly Clarkson made a bop


End file.
